Homo heidelbergensis inhabited Africa and Europe 600,000 – 200,000 years ago. Males were tall, as much as 180cm (6'0") in some cases, and very muscular.

Their faces were sometimes very large, and most had projecting brow ridges and a sloping braincase that housed a brain nearly the size of a modern human's. Male heidelbergensis were noticeably bigger than the females.

They were proficient hunters. In Europe, they seem to have targeted large animals to hunt. Horses, hippos and rhinos were all on the menu for heidelbergensis.

About 300,000 years ago at present day Boxgrove in England, heidelbergensis manufactured huge numbers of stone tools to butcher big game animals.